Locomotive boiler



Oct. 22, 1929.

A. w. NELSON LOCOMOTIVE BOILEB Filed June 18. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 oooooooO ooooooo ooooo oooo ooo

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LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed June 18. 1928 :5sneets-sheet -3 QI@ l jatented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR W. NELSON, OF PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LOCOMOTIVE FIREBOX COMPANY, OF CI-I'ICAGO, ILLNOIS, A CORPORATION OF :DELAW'ARE l LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Application filed June 18, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in locomotive boilers and more particularly to those having a tirebon wherein fuel such as oil is burned in suspension and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Une of the objects of the present invention is to provide, in a locomotive boiler iireboX of this hind, a novel arr; ngement of water heating and circulating elements, some of which partially bottom the iirebox and others of which stand upright therein and receive on both sides thereof the full benefits of the fuel burning in suspension, whereby the boiler as a whole is materially increased in Water circulating and steaming efficiency.

rin object of the invention is to provide in the firebon a pair of downwardly and inwardly extending flat water walls which are connected at their rear ends by a conduit or header with the boiler barrel and are connected at their front ends to upright flat hollow elements, now known as Nicholson thermic siphons, which in turn are connected to the crown sheet of the boiler.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction of this ltind which readily lends itself to the removal of some of the elements from the firebox and the substitution of coal burning gratos therefor and the connection of other parts thereof with the throat sheet so that the fireboX may be changed to a coal burner with but a small eX- pense in labor and material.

'lhese objects of the invention as well as others together with the many advantages thereof will more fully appear as I proceed with. my specification.

ln the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the iirebox end of a locomotive boiler embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the same as taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 with the iircbriclr, burner and associated parts removed to better disclose the construction and arrangement of the water ieating and circulating elements in the firebom Serial No. 286,445.

after the iirebox has been converted into a coal burner.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 1 to i inclusive of the accompanying drawings, l indicates as a whole the barrel of the boiler in which are arranged the usual fiues 2. The lirebox of the boiler is formed by the flue sheet 3, rear sheet fl, side sheets 5-5 and crown sheet 6, all connected together in the manner well known. In this instance the bottom portion 3 of the flue sheet forms the throat sheet of the iireboX.

The iirebox wrapper comprises the top plate 7, the side plates 8 8, the outside throat plate 9 and outside back plate l0. The wrapper just described, together with the iirebox sheets before mentioned, define the several water legs of the boiler i. e., the side legs 11H11, the front leg or throat 12 and back leg 13, all closed at the bottom by the usual mud ring 14;. The lirebox sheets are joined to the wrapper plates by means `of stay-bolts l5 in the manner well lrnown. 1G indicates a door opening which is normally closed by a door (not shown) and this opening provides the fuel door opening when the irebox is converted into a coal burner.

ln the firebox and spaced from the ends `thereof is provided a novel arrangement of parts forming a portion of the water steaming and circulating elements or means, indicated as a whole by the numeral 17 in Fig. 2. Said parts comprise a pair of laterally spaced, fiat hollow elements or walls 18-18 which are disposed, one along the bottom portion of each side water leg and said walls extend downwardly and inwardly therefrom so as to be spaced apart equally on each side of the median line of the lirebox.

Each element is in the form of a flat hollow body of a length greater than its width and of a suitable depth and having its longitudinal sides bulged as lat 19 and 20, respectively, The rear end of the bulged portion 20 is extended rearwardly to provide an inlet `neck 21 for each body and the front end of the bulged portion 19 is extended forwardly to provide an outlet neck 22 for each body. So that the body of each element may amply withstand internal pressures, it is stay-bolted as best shown at 23 in Fig. 3. Y

Arranged in the fireboX between the lower bulged sides of the elements 18-18 is a tube 24 which is connected at its rear end by a T fitting 25 with the inlet necks 21 of both of said elements. The front end of said tube is connected to the barrel of the boiler by a conduit comprising a substantially reversely vcurved section 26 and an elbow section 27, said tube and sections being flanged for ready assembly and disassembly.

To support said elements in position in the firebox, I affix to the side sheets thereof, slightly above the mud ring, angle bars 28 28 upon which' the top bulged portion 19 of each element rests so as to be spaced from the associated side sheet; the space between said side sheets and bulged portions being iilled with a suitable refractory material 29. The bottom bulged vportions 20-20 of each element, together with the tube 24, rest upon longitudinally spaced straps 303O which are fixed at their ends to the side parts of the mud ring. Engaged upon said bulged portions and tube just mentioned is a brick arch 31 and in said arch, in the plane of. the spaces between said bulged portions and tube are openings 32 for the admission of air into the fireboX necessary to support combustion of the fuel burning in suspension in the firebox.

The outlet neck of each element'is connected to the'crown sheet in a manner completing circulation in the boiler. To so connect said outet necks with the crown sheet, I prefer to y. employ two vertically disposed, fiat hollow elements 33-33, one located on each sideof Vthe longitudinalmedian plane of boiler and which elements have now become known as the Nicholson thermic siphon or siphons.

Each siphon which is substantially triangular comprises a flat tubular body34 having a top flange 35 (see Fig. 3) along one margin which is welded in longitudinally extending openings in the crown sheet (i.V Along another i margin is a bulged portion 36 which extends vdownwardly and forwardly to terminate in `a short intake neck 37 So that said siphon may withstand internal pressures, it is staybolted and certain of the stay-bolts 15 are employed `to joln the flanges 35 to the top 'sheet 7 as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. `-There is one of such siphons for each element 18 and the discharge neck of each element is connected to the intake neck of its associated siphon by a gooseneck tube or bend 38, which is butt welded thereto.

The space between the frontends of the clements 18 and the front end of the lirebox is closed by a burner wall 39 while the space between the rear ends of said elements and rear end of the iirebox is closed by a flash wall 40, both of said walls being made of firebrick. In the burner wall is located a fuel nozzle 41 which extends through an opening 42 in said wall.

In operation, the elements 18-18 and siphon are subject to the intense heat resulting from the products of combustion in the fireboX and a part of the water in each element is generated into steam. This steam and hot water pass into the associated siphon wherein other parts of said water is generated into steam and said steam and hot water pass into the boiler space above the crown sheet.

This causes cooler boiler water to be drawn into the elements from the boiler through the conduit and tube 24 so that a strong active circulation is set up in the boiler and its steaming efliciency is increased. It is herein pointed out that because of the position of the siphons in the fireboX they are subjected to the high temperatures in the lirebox over their entire surface area so that they are indeed eiiicient in connection with the elements 1818.

Sometimes it is necessary to convert such a fireboX into one burning coal upon a grate and the construction described, readily lends itself to such a conversion. To convert such a iirebox into a coal burner, the elements 18-18 and the firebrick are removed, and the tube 24 and conduit sections 26 and 27 are likewise removed and the opening in the boiler shell by the elbow section is patched. In this removal of parts, the gooseneck bends 38 are disconnected from the siphon necks 37.

Suitable openings are then formed in the throat sheet 3 and in which are fitted and then welded flexible diaphragm plates 43, one in line with each siphon and a short tubular neck section 44 is then employed between said ach flexible diaphragm plate and siph on neck. 'I hereafter a grate 45 is installed in the firebox, all as best shown in Fig. 5.

From the above, it is apparent that the irebox may be readily converted from one burning fuel in suspension to one burning fuel on a grate. Again, the arrangement described materially increases the superficial heating areas in the firebox so that the steaming eliiciency and water circulation of the lboiler is materially increased.

lVhile in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered as by way of illustration only, so that I do not wish to be als limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as myinvention:

l. A locomotive boiler construction embodying therein a barrel and a irebox, a pair oit relatively fiat hollow water heating and circulating elements disposed therein and eX- tending downwardly and inwardly from the side water legs of the lireboX, means for delivering water from the boiler barrel from a point forwardly of the front water leg thereof, into one end of each of said elements and a thermic siphon, one for each element and each opening at one end through the crown sheet and each connected at its other end to the other end of an associated element.

2. A locomotive boiler construction embodying therein a barrel and a fireboX, a pair of relatively flat hollow water heating and circulating elements disposed therein and eX- tending downwardly and inwardly from the side water legs of the lirebox, means operatively connecting the rear end of each element with the boiler barrel at a point forward oi the Jfront water leg, and siphons one for each element disposed in the iireboX and each opening at one end through the crown sheet of the irebox and each connected at its other end with the other end of its associated element.

8. A locomotive boiler construction embodying therein a barrel and a ireboX, a pair of relatively flat hollow water heating and circulating elements disposed therein and eX- tending downwardly and inwardly therefrom, each element having top and bottom marginal bulged portions, means leading Afrom the boiler barrel and including a tube positioned between the lower marginal bulged portions oil said elements and connected to the rear end of both of said bulged portions and a pair of upright thermic siphons, in said firebox, one associated with each element, each siphon having an elongated discharge end opening through the crown sheet of the flre boX and each having a tubular intake neck operatively connected to the front end of the top marginal bul ged portion of the associated element.

l. A locomotive boiler construction em bodying therein a barrel and a lireboX, a pair of relatively flat hollow water heating and circulating elements disposed therein and eX- tending downwardly and inwardly theretrom7 each element having top and bottom marginal bulged portions, means leading from the boiler barrel and including a tube positioned between the lower marginal bulged portions of said elements and connected to the rear end of both of said bulged portions and a pair of upright thermic siphons in said lireboX, one associated with each element, each siphon having an elongated discharge end opening through the crown sheet of the iirebox and each having a tubular intake neck extending downwardly and forwardly toward the front water leg of the boiler and a goos'eneck bend connecting the intake neck of each siphon with the front end of the top marginal bulged portion of the associated element.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand7 this 31st day of May, 1928.

ARTHUR WVM. NELSON. 

